A South Sudanese journalist working for Gurtong Trust, Clement Lochio, was reported missing over a week now after he was allegedly arrested and detained by security agents in Chukudum area of Budi County in Eastern Equatoria State.
Clement’s family told Radio Tamazuj he was arrested with other two other men last week in Chukudum. One of those men was releasd, the other–a driver–was found dead.
“[Clement] is missing, his whereabouts is unknown, these people we three, but the other two have been found. They were arrested and taken to detention. So we don’t know what happened,” Taban Lino, one of the relatives said.
Taban said the driver’s family held funeral rites at their house in Chukudum. According to security sources, Clement is with military intelligence as of last week.
At least seven journalists have been killed in South Sudan this year in unsolved murders.
Five who worked for state-run media were killed by unidentified gunmen during a January ambush of an official convoy travelling through Western Bahr el Ghazal state.
Radio Tamazuj reporter Pow James Raeth was gunned down in Akobo in May.
In August, Peter Moi Julius of the Corporate weekly newspaper was shot twice in the back in Juba shortly after President Salva Kiir threatened to kill reporters. Kiir’s spokesperson then retracted this threat but Kiir has not condemned Moi’s killing.
National Security Services shut down three newspapers this year, including two earlier this month. They also closed Free Voice, a group known for producing radio dramas aimed at promoting peace.
Meanwhile, Radio Miraya reporter George Livio has been held without charge for more than one year by NSS.